Year 2

We have a superb team in Year 2. Miss Drew teaches 2D, Mrs Field and Mrs Groves teach 2F and Mrs Kelly and Mrs Oakford teach 2K. We are lucky to have Mrs Lock, Mrs Kempson and Mr Oakford working with us in Year 2 this year. Our wonderful teaching assistants are: Miss Carr, Mrs White, Mrs Enticknap and Mrs Cooper. If you need to speak to us for a quick chat then please feel free to pop in at the start of the day. If you have a query requiring more than just a quick chat then please ask for an appointment with us and we will be happy to find a suitable day and time for you that does not clash with after school clubs and meetings.

Miss Drew. 2D Class Teacher

Mrs Field. 2F Class Teacher

Mrs Groves. 2F Class Teacher

Mrs Oakford. 2K Class Teacher/Phase Leader

Mrs Kelly. 2K Class Teacher

Spring Term 2019

We came into school on Thursday 3rd January to find the Year 2 classrooms had been messed up and someone had scribbled on our classroom displays. The classrooms were a mess!

We found a letter from the colours of the class, which told us they had quit and left Year 2. In the mess we found evidence and narrowed it down to some of the teachers in the school Mr Waddington, Mrs Lock, Mrs Purkis, Mr Lawrence and Mrs Chudasama.

Therefore our focus for the first half of the Spring Term is ‘Whodunnit?’…

Over the term, we will be investigating the crime and eliminating suspects to find out who the culprit was. We will also be writing diaries based on our experiences. Our text for the term will be ‘The Day the Crayons Quit.

We will be busy in other areas of the curriculum including art where we will be studying the artist La Grande Jatte. In science we will be studying plants and what they need to survive. In PE we will be doing hockey, basketball and tag rugby which will be fun! Mrs Lock will be teaching gymnastics and dance too.

The second half of the Spring term will see a focus on a story called ‘Masha and the Firebird’. This book, written by Margaret Bateson-Hill, features traditional Russian fairy tale characters: a magical firebird who is the guardian of the eggs of the elements and a vicious witch called Baba Yaga. We will be lucky enough to have a visit from the author, Margaret, which we are looking forward to! During this second half of the Spring term, we will also be doing lots of art and DT inspired by Masha and the eggs as well as some fun music lessons.

Reminders

PE kit

PLEASE check that your child has the correct PE kit in school. We have 30 of the same kits in each class so please, please, please make sure all uniform and PE kit is named! We have permanent markers you can borrow. Please also make sure that the PE kit fits, especially plimsoles and trainers. It would be useful if your child had a warm top and jogging bottoms in their PE kit for when we do outside PE in the chilly January and February months. PE days are Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Reading at home

Thank you to the children and parents who are reading lots at home. We cannot stress just how important this is and the difference it makes to your child’s reading. Keep it up and don’t forget to sign your reading grids to get your bronze, silver and gold reading badges!

Home Learning

We also want to take this opportunity to thank you for your support at home with the Home Learning Tasks. The children really enjoy seeing some of these shared in our Home Learning Celebration Assemblies.

Autumn Term 2018

This term our topic is ‘A Healthy Lunch’. We will be reading lots of The Lighthouse Keeper stories about Mr Grinling and his wife, who has to make Mr Grinling’s lunch every day. The children will have the chance to come up with their own healthy lunch stories and instructions inspired by Mr Grinling. In science we will be learning about how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and we will be thinking about how Mr Grinling can be the healthiest lighthouse keeper possible!

We will also be very busy in other areas of the curriculum, including some fun art and everyday materials in Science.

We've had a busy first half of the Autumn Term and we are really looking forward to many more exciting projects including our Christmas Nativity.

This half term we will be finishing off our Lighthouse Keeper Lost and Found stories. Then we will be reading the adventure story ' The Hodgeheg' By Dick King Smith, using this book we will create some hedgehog poems and some non- fiction information about hedgehogs too.

PE

Please note that all 3 classes have PE on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Please make sure your child has the correct PE kit in school, including jogging bottoms and a sweatshirt/jumper/fleece. Also please ensure hair is tied up and earrings are removed or covered in tape. We have 30 of the same kits in each class so we would really appreciate it if all uniform and PE kit was named. We have permanent markers in school that you are welcome to borrow. Thank you in advance for your help with this.

Reading

Each child will have an individual reading book which they will read both at home and at school. In Year 2, most of the teaching of reading occurs in lessons or in Guided Reading sessions. This is where the teacher sits with a group of 6 children and teaches strategies for reading and ensures understanding of the book through questioning and making predictions. Individual children are also listened to at this time. This is a very effective method of working but does mean that your child will not be heard read from their individual reading book every day. Classroom assistants and volunteers do hear children read regularly but the individual books will be most valuable if your child is heard to read at home for a few minutes each day and the book is discussed with them. You are invited to make comments about your child’s reading in the Reading Diary but please refrain from using green pen. When your child has finished their reading book, they can put it in the ‘Change Book Box’. This box will be out in the classrooms on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Please remember that your child can also read any book or magazine from home, especially if they have finished their school book and are waiting for it to be changed.

Homework

Children are expected to practise weekly spellings at home as well as reading as often as possible. The children will have their spelling test every Friday. We will be introducing new Home Learning Books to set some exciting homework tasks. We look forward to seeing your creative Home Learning and will be able to share some of the books in our Home Learning Celebration assemblies.